The jeopardy lesson of Stuart Armstrong

Reading the CQN article on Stuart Armstrong this morning pulled the emotional strings. Stuart has made two starts in the league since moving, both of which ended in substitution, while Southampton are above the relegation places only on goal difference.

The club will doubtless throw money at their problems in January, which will do nothing for Stuart’s chances of more game time. That first glorious season under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic must seem a long time ago.

It took Stuart 18 months before his flame flickered here. For most of that period, it was Gary Mackay-Steven who looked the more promising player. Then everything clicked. Goals and assists arrived, as he became an integral part of the team. His form was good, but was never going to trouble one of the larger teams in England, so Southampton looked a wise move. The problem with all of these clubs, though, is they have a surplus of everything. And even as his time at Celtic expired, he was more of a squad player than automatic first choice.

Unless a manager is going to sit you down and tell you how you are going to change his life, the deal to sign you might not register too deeply with him. And even then, whoever makes the promises to you may well be moved on before you’ve had a chance to buy a house. With the news of Fulham changing manager this morning, Mark Hughes will know his time will be up soon if results don’t improve.

I can’t blame Stuart for going to Southampton. They did well by Victor, Fraser and Virgil and the money would have been fabulous. It was the right decision to make at that time. He is too professional to pause right now to reflect on what might have been had he extended his Celtic contract. For now, his focus will all be about getting into the Southampton team, but you’d better believe he will be used as a morality tale when Celtic have been busy with contract renewals this month.

“Go for a bit more money, sit on the bench until the manager is sacked, then sit in the stand. And win nothing.” We need players to be successful when they move on if we are to continue to get value when others leave, but the odd flop introduces a useful jeopardy into the decision to leave Celtic.

Pretty much every player at Celtic will know they could earn more money in England, but when they measure themselves against Stuart, few will be assured of a better outcome.

Paul as ever turns others fortune or misfortune to make the Celtic board look clever. Note quite fake news but manipulation of a narrative.

Strangely when times where no this so good Paul’s narrative turned to blaming our manager rather than those with de facto power at CP.

Meanwhile, as Paul and the board are trying to control the narrative amongst the Celtic support the Huns have set about resetablishing the wider narrative in Scotland to their advantage.

Thus far. They have:

Established that self confessed Celtic supporters should not be allowed in positions of power withi any footballing body. I particularly laughed at the use of “self confessed Celtic fan” narrative which appears to imply merely supporting Celtic is a criminal act in itself

Completely restablished control over the referring fraternity and the appeals process at the sfa. Including IMO,cicely suggesting that the only grade 1 catholic referee in Scotland must have an agenda against them.

Attacked any media person brave enough to question anything at Ibrox. Including ensuring not a peep was heard about the accounts.

Meanwhile Celtic as usual do and say nothing and ensure you remain firmly at the back of the bus.

But Paul doesn’t want to talk about that narrative. Just his reinvention of any events that he can spin in favour of the board.

He made more at Southampton than he would at Celtic.Money is the reason why he left.We are doing ok at the moment and Stuart’s leaving Celtic Park for southampton,as I said was for extra cash and not a case of joining a bigger and better club.

What we are seeing with SA is that are players aren’t PL standard. I would say the Paul67 memory is playing tricks if he thinks SA was a bit part player for us. He was a first choice when fit.

Now what I would take from this is why pay PL wages to those in our squad who are probably only championship material. The players I would put in that bracket Griff, Callum, RYAn, Bain, Simunovic, Hendry, Rogic ect ect

Nás an Rí: from earlier. I genuinely haven’t a clue what will happen re NI’s status as a result of the current Brexit deal.

I think what is most likely to happen is May’s government will collapse and there will be a general election which will generate even more chaos.

One thing is for sure. Brexit is not good for Unionists (nor the general population) in the North and whatever form Brexit will eventually take it is likely to convince a sizable number of the Unionist/Loyalist population that they would be better off in a United Ireland as part of the EU.

“Now what I would take from this is why pay PL wages to those in our squad who are probably only championship material. The players I would put in that bracket Griff, Callum, RYAn, Bain, Simunovic, Hendry, Rogic ect ”

I think you are definitely a bit harsh on Rogic and Callum there and I could possibly argue a case for Ryan, Griff and Scott Bain at bottom half PL level.

I see the Premier League in England , have asked for all the Premier teams to donate £250,000 each so that the £2.5 million per annum Mr Scudamore can get a nice wee £5 million pay off, Nice, eh. And you ask me what’s wrong with football!!!!!

On a lighter note I see a quote from Robert Di Nero which made me laugh.

According to a new survey, women say the feel more comfortable undressing in front of men than they do other women. They say that women are too judgemental, where, of course, men are just grateful.

`Undaunted, the club applied for membership of the Scottish League for the following season, and were duly elected, although to the Second Division, rather than the First which the directors had aspired to.

With the arrival of League football in 1904–05, Aberdeen changed kit colours to black and gold, resulting in the new nickname of the Wasps. The club at this time was managed by Jimmy Philip, and he steered the club to a Scottish Qualifying Cup win on 26 November 1904, a 2–0 victory over Renton at Dens Park. At the end of that first season, despite having finished seventh out of 12 teams, Aberdeen were elected to the new, expanded First Division, and have been in the top tier of Scottish football ever since, a record shared with only Celtic.`

PS I am with Paul 67 re Stuart Armstrong. No doubt a good player but he was not, IMO, exceptional with us. I was not too bothered when he left. Calmac and Rogic , on the other hand, are players I would hate to see leave and Christie looks very promising. Broonies return grows increasingly thought-provoking.

your first two points, are nothing new my friend, it has ALWAYS been the case, and always will be sadly. This will remain so until a law is passed offering equality to all religions, ain’t gonna happen in the wee twisted country that is Scotland. my advice to any youngster in Scotland, get out to live in a country which is in the 21st Century, not the 17th.

Stoo ran his contract down and we still managed to get a respectable fee. There are other areas where the board/Congerton have dropped the ball (John McGinn, starting the season with only two strikers and the Boyata debacle). I would have left this one alone. Makes you sound like a broken record…

One thing is for sure. Brexit is not good for Unionists (nor the general population) in the North and whatever form Brexit will eventually take it is likely to convince a sizable number of the Unionist/Loyalist population that they would be better off in a United Ireland as part of the EU.

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Almore

They’d still be stupid/staunch enough to vote against it I’d bet, even if it was for the good of their own families.

Interesting to note that while Stuart’s career is on a downer, his wee pal Gary Mackay-Smith is doing well at Aberdeen. Always liked Gary and although I hold Brendan responsible for throwing the wee man under the bus, he was most definitely not responsible for flinging him aff the bridge. Forget Stuart, bring back wee Gary, or failing that wee Patrick.

Traditionalist88: You May well be right. But the demographics of the North are changing. The Catholic population is growing while the Protestant population is in decline. There is also a growing non-Irish & non-Uk population which will influence matters also. Bear in mind that a sizable number of Unionists voted to remain in the EU so the situation is far more fluid than it ever was.

At the end of the day Unionists may soon have to decide whether Brexit is more important to them than their long term economic well-being.

Like you, I won’t be holding my breath expecting them to vote for a United Ireland. I just think that the new reality may convince enough of them to think that their long term future would be better in the EU via a United Ireland.

True, though Scotland also voted to remain in the EU, but I wouldn’t have any confidence in another Indy Ref passing.

Anyway, a fluid situation it is as you say, although I think real change may be a generation or two away, when the factors you mention come into play even more.

I think it’ll get to the stage, hopefully, where we’re not talking about the number of Catholics/Protestants as the defining factor in the Norths future. By that I mean 1) Catholics and Protestants will vote for whatever serves their interests best, even if it goes against historical family traditions and 2) A more noticeable change will be the huge rise in those who have no religion, as we have seen across the island in recent times. In the case of foreigners coming to work there they may not even have a view on the history of the north and will call it as they see it.

Couldn’t help smiling on Thursday night at the Leipzig game.. In my usual seat in the Jock stein Upper, theres a big guy behind me heading to the pie stall at half time, and rather than shuffle along his row, he decides to climb over into our row and head to the stairs that way. He disny make it, canny get his leg up high enough.. trips, falls and breaks the seat next to me!! Big Paul who sits there, looks in horror.. his seats is shattered, but the guy is ok. Guy in front says, ‘Ach, don’t worry, they’ll change it, you’ll get a new one’. Big Paul says.. “Aye, but will it be the same seat??”

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